Baringo plant to extract 200,000 tonnes of diatomite

The County Government of Baringo in partnership with Chuanshan International Company is set to start mining diatomite at a cost of KES6bn. This is as a result of an agreement signed by the two parties to purchase a land to facilitate the Chinese investor to start exploiting the national resource. The plant to be located at Kaboryon, Tiaty is expected to extract 200,000 tonnes of diatomite ore per year.

This project will be a drive to development of other sectors in the area thus; the entire county will receive a major boost in the expected spinoff and also promote job creation in Tiaty and Baringo North. It will go a long way in improving the socio-economic standing of the community and the entire county.

The Chinese investor will offer corporate social responsibility schemes including drilling of bore holes, building of schools, hospitals, other social amenities and also create 300 direct skilled employment among other opportunities. In addition, the firm gets nod to commence mining of diatomite after National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) gave the company a clean bill of health.

Baringo County is a host of vast mineral resources that include diatomite, gemstones, ruby, gold and vast deposits of construction material. Once complete, the resource mapping exercise is expected to spur development of this sector that has a potential to significantly contribute to the accelerated development growth in the county.The proceeds from resource in Bartabwa and Ribkwo-Kositei wards are expected to be shared equally between the Tugen and Pokot communities with five processing plants to set up in the next three years.

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